A Striped Companion
by AlinoValiant
Summary: The Dusty Dunes Desert was a place of interest for very few people. Agon, a twenty-six year old man, desired to seek out a certain pink-haired striped creature. His challenges consisted of the hostile wildlife and gun-totting marauders that stand in the way of his solitary mission. (AU, Prequel to The Inverted Enemy)


**A Striped Companion**

The Dusty Dunes Desert: a place filled to the brim with bright yellow and apricot sand. With the really hot and dry climate accompanying the barren terrain, it was quite hazardous for the ill-prepared. The blazing sun shone indifferently and the lack of clouds did nothing to help ease the risk of sunstroke. While the disappearances of the Lil' UFOs and Smilin' Spheres made the travels somewhat less dangerous, wild creatures and bandits meandered this very large sandy surface. A few oases were located within the humid wastelands; the distance between them was, of course, nonadjacent.

Tents of various sizes were situated here and there. Occasionally, a single raider or small groups of three to six wandered around. They wore leather armor, masks or helmets, leggings and were also equipped with small arms: these included pistols, revolvers and shotguns. Rarely, a few may be seen wielding submachine guns, whether single or dual-wielding.

Agon Archibald Peters exited the Drugstore by the long stretch of road connected between Threed and Fourside. He was a short, muscular man in his mid-twenties (26, to be exact) with light-brown skin. He had dark-brown eyes and no hair on his head; he didn't have any facial hair either. Despite the heated climate, Agon had a dark blue armor jacket with ammo belts that covered his white tank top and upper body. He wore dark-red cargo pants and a pair of gray boots, while there were knee and thigh pads providing some protection. Both of his hands were outfitted with silver brass knuckles while a submachine gun (Suppressor 03) and a light machine gun (Crowd Control) were strapped onto his back.

The young male was here in this place for his own personal reason: to find a Crested Booka and attempt to befriend it. He figured that this wouldn't be so bad considering he had done this with Hooktail, the red female dragon of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. As an accidental bonus (to which he held absolutely no complaints about), he also made friends with a lone Digimon known as Angel, who was a modified Renamon. His main obstacles for this mission would be the wildlife and local thugs combing the Dusty Dunes Desert.

'_I like those strange creatures,_' thought Agon quietly as he walked into the hot sands. '_Honestly, they're kind of cute... It would be awesome to have a Crested Booka as a friend. Ah, why am I kidding myself? I have a soft heart for my favorite video game characters, no matter the significance. I've always dreamed of interacting with my personal fantasies and that is enough motivation for me._'

The small human thoroughly searched the barren wastes, encountering loads of bandit settlements along the way. He also had to fight through hostile animals such as Bad Buffaloes, Desert Wolves and Skelpions. Eventually, he found an oasis. He took a few minutes to recuperate his energy while he drank from the pool of fresh spring water. The palm trees nearby were useful as shade against the flaming sun above.

'_Haven't seen any yet... Lots of bloodthirsty scavengers though, don't remember engaging bandits in Earthbound from my experience._' Agon said in his head. A bemused expression was written in his face: Where were they? He had not managed to find even one Crested Booka. What was up with that? He shook his head of these unwarranted questions, maintaining his optimism.

'_Just gotta keep going. Sooner or later, I'll meet up with one._'

Agon continued on his journey, once again marching through the huge desert. His travel was moderately uneventful until he stopped to see a pack of five bandits pointing their weapons at him. One of them, a tall female with an indigo mohawk and a nose ring, stepped forward and spoke to the lone man in a rather nasty voice.

"What are you doing here, little man? This ain't your territory. Talk!" she demanded, thrusting her shotgun toward Agon.

"Just looking for a friend," he replied calmly, though with a cold undertone. "What I'm doing is none of your damn business. Move aside."

"I don't like the way you're talking. It sounded like you were telling me and my crew what to do."

The female bandit and her armed companions slowly moved forward. They did not make an attempt to shoot the twenty-six year old, but merely kept their weapons trained on him. Agon crossed his arms nonchalantly while the leader of the pack went on.

"Tell you what: you give us your loot and we'll let you go. Simple, right? My boys and I will be on our way and you'll get to look for your friend. Be a good boy now and hand everything over." said the punk-like brigand in a mocking tone.

The other bandits laughed on cue in an equally cruel manner. The teasing, provocative tactics seemed to have little effect on the strangely cool bald-headed man. He shrugged his shoulders as he pursed his lips together.

"Are you sure about that? I'll be happy to oblige..." Agon started, giving the female bandit a tiny unidentifiable smirk.

"That's right. Come on now, drop it! Give it to us all!" she barked out while still pointing her shotgun at him. Her itchy finger was on the trigger, aching to blast the short male into many pieces.

"As you wish."

In cinematic slow motion, Agon took out his light machine gun labelled 'The Crowd Control' and opened fire. The area was swarmed with hundreds of metallic bullets that penetrated each bandit with the finesse of a helicopter. One could imagine the sluggish voices of agony, shots fired and bodies being awkwardly knocked back. He had strafed side-to-side to avoid incoming fire while this happened, before the entire group of five was eliminated.

"There you go. I gave you everything I had." Agon commented dryly as he nodded at his work. He pushed on, leaving the bloodied, bullet-ridden corpses behind.

After fighting through more groups of marauders and aggressive animals, he rested at another oasis. He took the time to reload his Crowd Control weapon in between sips of the fresh water nearby. His face and body was drenched in sweat from having travelled across the Dusty Dunes Desert on foot. The armor he had on him was battered from repetitive gunfire caused by the bandits; his leggings, boots and bare hands were somewhat mangled, mainly from the vicious Desert Wolves.

"Still nothing. What's happened to them, extinction?" he muttered with a hint of worry and vexation. "Usually, there's quite a few Crested Bookas in these arid wastes. And all these friggin' raiders... never fought this many in a place like the Dusty Dunes Desert. What's their business here?"

Another rest session later, he stood up and advanced north without hesitation. A medium-sized encampment was directly in his way when Agon halted. Apart from the cluster of surrounding tents, there was also a large unlit bonfire in the middle. A few wooden tables were scattered around with guns and ammunition kits on top of them. Several bandits clad in faded bronze leather gathered in the middle while others patrolled the perimeters. A few meters away from their settlement, the endless ocean waters shimmered luminously.

However, what drew the twenty-six year old's full attention was the sight of a yellow dinosaur-like creature with stripes. It was leashed to a pole of a big pavilion and from its submissive demeanor, it didn't look too happy to be imprisoned. Agon frowned at this atrocity; he started formulating an idea on what may have occurred in regards to the Crested Bookas.

"Fucking raiders..." he swore to himself while spying upon the camp. "Don't worry, I'll get you out of there."

He studied the enemy, pondering on his decision: go in guns-a-blazing ala Rambo or be real subtle by taking them out quietly? Stealth appeared to be the more desirable option, though it was not at all his forte. He performed a quick headcount; there were probably at least a dozen bandits on sight. The bodies would either have to be hidden in the tents or behind the nearby cacti and rocks to avoid unnecessary attention. The tents were far riskier since the dead body stench could potentially give away his location. Finally, Agon nodded to himself: he would try stealth for the first time in his life.

He made his initiative toward a lone bandit that leaned against a small tattered shelter. Fortunately, the guy was asleep on the job. Agon capitalized by grabbing him and strangling his neck. A few seconds later, the deed was done. He dragged the body to a large pale rock a few feet from him and hid it there.

'_That's one down at least._' thought Agon before proceeding to the next patrol that was peering over the ocean in close proximity.

In a similar manner, the dark-brown eyed man crept up from behind and wrapped his right arm around the thug's neck. His left hand covered the mouth to prevent him from yelling out loud. He rendered him unconscious first before snapping the neck for good measure. Agon carefully lifted the lifeless body and dropped it in the ocean waters. It floated, bobbing vertically as the current swept the corpse away from the mainland.

He continued these silent takedowns, dealing with the rest of the patrols with mixed timing. There was a moment or two when one of the bandits almost spotted Agon. The short human rectified this by hiding in a corner of a tent before tackling the wary raider down. He knocked him out with a punch to the face and stomped on the neck afterwards, crushing it and killing him. After hiding some more of the dead bodies behind the cacti and rocks, he did another headcount: now there was about six remaining and they were all idling by the bonfire.

'_Tough one, but they aren't aware of my presence yet, so I may as well keep this going. I'll need a distraction or something since it's impossible to lure each one out individually..._'

With sudden inspiration, Agon crouched down and moved toward the leashed Crested Booka. Thankfully, he had not been detected since the patrols were dealt with and also because the remaining marauders were now busy shooting their weapons in the air. He arrived at the creature's spot without complications. Upon closer inspection, he saw the head of flamboyant pink hair, the jade eyelids and eyelashes and the rouge makeup on its cheeks. It was also huge compared to Agon in terms of size. This was definitely a Crested Booka. Assuming that this one was a female, she looked at Agon with sad eyes. There was also a slight curiosity behind them.

"Hey, I'm here to get you out," he whispered to her gently. "Those bastards chained you up and now you're about to be free. Stay still for a moment."

He unhooked the leash from her neck. As soon as this happened, she ran off toward the middle of the encampment. It was obvious that the situation was about to get real heavy...

"Oh shit! She's free! Kill it, kill it now!"

"Holy hell, we're done for!"

"Come on, you brainless cowards! Just use your damn guns to shoot this thing down!"

The humid atmosphere was pierced by inaccurate gunshots and the terrified voices of the bandits; then, the dying screams of slow pain and torture. Evidently, they didn't expect their pet to go on an unrestrained murdering spree. Agon witnessed this horrifically exciting scene with his hands in his pockets. Soon, there was only one bandit remaining, who was crying for his life. He foolishly threw his gun away and got on his knees.

"Mercy, please! D – D – Don't kill me!" he pleaded, his hands clenched in futile prayer.

His masked head was instantly ripped out from his body. Great splashes of blood erupted from the hole like that of a crimson volcano. The young man winced slightly before smiling at this particular execution.

'_That must have hurt..._' thought Agon while rocking back and forth on his damaged boots.

When all was peaceful, the Crested Booka returned with the same head from the same unfortunate bandit that was just brutally victimized. She dropped it in front of Agon's feet and nuzzled his face. He guessed that the head was her way of introduction. The light-brown man didn't actually know for sure, but it was probably best not to think about it too deeply. With a faint blush appearing on his cheeks, he nuzzled her back.

"Well, that was certainly a show I'll never forget," he said to her with a humorous undertone. "Are you okay?"

The Crested Booka nodded to him with a friendly smile on her lips.

"That's good... Don't know what these chumps were doing with you, but it's all over now. You really gave it to them badly." Taking on a grave voice, he said, "There used to be more of you though, what happened? Did the bandits abduct the other Bookas as well?"

Her concerned and depressed facial expression sufficed as an answer. Agon bowed his head down as he sighed irritably.

"Shit... that solves my main question on their sudden disappearance. Listen, I'll help you rescue your friends. It's the least I can do for you. Wouldn't mind shooting up more bad guys anyway. Besides, you're quite the cute and murderous critter."

Acting on impulse, he gave the Crested Booka a hug. She embraced the small human back with great tenderness and appreciation for his aid. After the two of them released each other, the dinosaur-like creature motioned him to climb on her back. Agon donned an uncertain look on his tough face.

"No no, it's okay, I don't mind walking. Really." he insisted, not wanting to take advantage of her good-nature.

The striped Booka would not take no for an answer and picked him up; he was placed on her back. There was an assuring smile on her that seemed to relieve his anxiety. This was further reinforced when she gave him an affectionate kiss. Like with Hooktail and Angel, he felt both loved and embarrassed in a good way.

"Well, all right then. Thank you. You're a very friendly creature as well. Let's go."

And so the pair was off to find the other Crested Bookas. They moved all over the desert, killing the numerous bandits and freeing any of her friends in the process. This went on for a lengthy period of time before a large herd of Crested Bookas followed after the duo. The rest of the nomadic camps and brigands were soon wiped out and the flock had grown in higher numbers. Agon turned his head to stare at the loads of Bookas trotting behind.

"Wow, I've never seen so many in one group," he remarked in amazement. "If any more bandits try to move in now, they'll most likely get torn apart. Even with guns, the Crested Bookas will have a great advantage in numbers. This is awesome!"

The massive group had slowly split off into smaller bands; some of them opted to go alone. Finally, it was only Agon and the same Booka he was mounted on. Dusty Dunes Desert was populated with these pink-haired striped creatures once more. They either mingled with the other animals or stayed with their own kind. All bandits, raiders and marauders were gone as well as their established bases.

* * *

><p>Nightfall had arrived by the time the duo stopped at an oasis. In contrast to the searing weather, the desert was bone-shaking chilly during the night. Agon was thankful that there was no wind tonight to add to this suddenly cold climate. He placed his weapons aside and attempted to get cozy.<p>

Even with the armor jacket, he found himself shivering uncontrollably. He curled himself up with his knees almost touching the chest. It seemed unlikely that Agon would be able to sleep in this current state. The Crested Booka saw his struggles and cuddled him. She wrapped her entire striped figure around his body, shielding him from the unfriendly frigid air. When he looked up, she gazed back while smiling fondly at him.

"...Thanks," he said gratefully to his pink-haired companion. "This is very kind of you. I know I'll enjoy having a beautiful creature such as you for a friend."

Touched by the complement, she eagerly rubbed his nose with her own in response to his words.

The twenty-six year old felt immensely comfortable within her warmth. Her tail had closed around him to make him even more snug. Seconds later, his eyes were half-shut from a rapid surge of weariness that was overtaking him. Agon weakly snuggled her body for a bit before falling into a slumber of tranquility. The Crested Booka fell asleep as well, her head resting upon his own due to her long neck. Both had smiles of content; despite having only just met, they had pleasant dreams of their everlasting friendship.

* * *

><p>Early morning arrived with all haste, the dazzling golden sun already overwhelming the previously frosty night. Agon woke up first and yawned as he sat up at a snail's pace. He tilted his head to look at the snoozing Crested Booka; a small smile of endearment was present on his chapped lips. Her spherical, striped body rose in and out in sync with her breathing. For a creature with scales, she was unusually soft to the touch. He decided to pet her while she was still sleeping for this very reason.<p>

A half hour later, she roused herself from the peaceful slumber. Agon was unaware that the pink-haired Booka was up. He became hopelessly occupied with caressing her pillow of a body. She smiled, pleased by this affectionate act, and snuggled him. This had startled him out of his hypnotized state of pleasure. A sheepish grin made its way onto his reddened face.

"Oh! Uh... good morning to you. Heh heh heh, I wasn't doing anything. Nothing at all... It's just that you are so physically huggable, that's it. I'll stop it if it's bothering you..."

Agon stood up from his cozy spot and held his hands up. However, the Crested Booka simply coiled her tail around him, pressing her body against his. The short man was alarmed for a second before realizing that she actually liked the physical affection. He felt elated by that fact and cuddled her with impunity. This went on for as long as twenty minutes. During the time, the dinosaur-like creature kept him warm and comfortable by not letting go. An ecstatic grin was on her face as she was joyed that someone out there cared for her dearly.

Eventually, they relinquished each other. Agon was placed on her back and kissed on the head before the pair moved away from the oasis. Along the way, the twenty-six year old conversed with the Crested Booka.

"I've always liked you," he explained with a vigorous spirit. "Ever since I played Earthbound, you ended up being my personal favorite enemy there. I'm being truthful when I say this now: I wished you were an ally instead, at least in the video game. Well, I'm here with you at this present moment, so it's a dream come true for me. I'm looking forward to this magnificent friendship between us."

His striped friend answered with a loving smile aimed at him.

"Let me ask you something: Are you sure you want to stay with me? Just to let you know, I'm not from around here. In fact, I remembered getting here via teleportation from another friend of mine."

The Crested Booka nodded at him.

"What about **your** friends though?" Agon pressed on with a tone of doubt. "I don't want to force you to come with me if it means leaving them behind."

She thought to herself for a moment before nodding once again.

"You still have a chance to back out. IF you are resolute about your decision..."

Her facial expression was that of certainty and enthusiasm. The smile on the pink-haired dinosaur told him she was more than willing to accompany him as a close friend. He nodded in return, his dark eyes gleaming happily.

"Okay, if this is your personal decision, then I'm thrilled to have you aboard." he said, beaming at the Booka. She nuzzled his head, also jubilant by his acceptance. He had demonstrated such a friendly disposition toward her.

"No problem, think nothing of it. Just gotta drift about these wastes until – "

Both the Crested Booka and Agon stopped in their tracks. They witnessed a blue-white light materializing before them. Once it had dissipated, the duo saw a ten foot hooded fox in dark purple robes. She also had a gold chestplate and spaulders while a yellow scarf was adorned around her neck. She took off her hood, revealing a face that resembled Taomon rather than the female humanoid Sakuyamon. Agon recognized her sorceress appearance: she was Archmagimon, her mega evolution.

"Great to see you Angel. How are things?" greeted Agon casually as the striped creature stared at the vixen curiously.

"Everything is fine as far as I can tell," Angel replied in a sweet manner. "What about you? Are you hurt?"

She noticed his beaten-up armor and tattered clothes. Agon waved off his less-than-a-hundred-percent appearance, having expected the fox Digimon to worry over him.

"Don't sweat it, things weren't so bad this time. Check out my new friend here."

He gestured to the Crested Booka, who gave Angel a welcoming gaze. The robed vixen walked over to the pink-haired creature and placed a purple-sleeved paw over her head.

"Hello there, do you know my human friend here?" asked Angel as she examined the Booka's appearance.

The dinosaur-like animal nodded and nuzzled her paw.

"She's really adorable," she said, now addressing Agon. "I can already tell you two will get along extremely well."

"Uh-huh, I agree with that. Your arrival was timely by the way. I don't suppose..." the young man began.

"That's why I'm here. Just let me know when you're both ready." said Angel as she connected her sleeves together. Her blue eyes looked over the other two expectantly.

Agon and the Crested Booka took a quick moment to exchange glances. After that, they turned to Angel, nodding in confirmation. The Archmagimon grinned as a blinding white aura surrounded the trio.

"All right, let's get out of here. Stay close to me." stated Angel while concentrating her energies upon the teleportation process.

The light that covered the three brightened for a few seconds before it disappeared. Agon, Angel and the Crested Booka were nowhere to be seen after the teleportation spell was finished.

**(Just a quick one-shot, dedicated to my favorite enemy in Earthbound. There are some things in here that are throwbacks to another story of mine. Don't worry yourself about that, just either have fun reading this or move along somewhere else.)**


End file.
